Listening SkillsListening Skills

Introduction

• Almost 45% of time we spend in listening.

• An essential management and leadership skill.

• A process of receiving, interpreting and reacting to a message.

• Difference between listening & hearing

Types of Listening

• Appreciative(thankful) listening

• Empathetic (kind) listening

• Comprehensive (complete) listening

• Critical (serious) listening

Traits of a Good Listener

• Being non-evaluative

• Para phrasing ( wording)

• Reflecting implications

• Reflecting hidden feelings

• Inviting further contributions

• Responding non-verbally

Active Versus Passive listening

• Show keenness

• Expressions

• Alertness

• Questions

• Not neglecting physical aspects

• Valid reason for criticism

Implications

• Good listening helps you to take better decisions and make better policies in organization.

• On the contrary lack of proper listening can lead to embarrassing situations because of a gap in coordination and understanding.

Tips for Effective Listening• DO’sDO’s

• Be mentally prepared to listen• Evaluate the speech not the

speaker• Be unbiased to the speaker by

depersonalizing your feelings• Fight distractions by closing off

sound sources• Be open minded• Ask questions to clarify and not

to overshadow intelligence• Paraphrase from time to time• Send appropriate non-verbal

signals time to time

• Don’tsDon’ts

• Not to pay undue emphasis on vocabulary as you can use the context to understand the meaning

• Not to pay too much attention to the accessories and clothing of the speaker

• Not to prepare your responses while the speaker is speaking

• Avoid preconceptions and prejudices

• Not to get distracted by outside influences

• Not to interrupt too often• Not to show boredom

Conclusion

• You do not listen with just your ears. You listen with your eyes and with your sense of touch. You listen with your mind, your heart, your imagination. (Egan Gerard)

• A good conversationalist is popular, a good listener even more so. Talk only if you have something to say.